Time past: impacts of ICT on the pedagogic discourse in the Interactive project

Abstract

The ‘pedagogic discourse’ can describe the power relations and fields of influence within schools. This article extends the approach to include ICT-mediated learning in schools by considering evidence from the InterActive project, undertaken by the University of Bristol, England, in 2000–04. The article also considers how the pedagogic discourse can complement post-Vygotskian sociocultural models of learning. ICT is presented as a ‘recontextualising field’ that exerts influence by weakening the classification and framing of the discourse. Successful uses of ICT tend to favour ‘invisible’ pedagogies: collaborative modes of active working with shared competences, in lessons containing elements of ‘discovery’. Tensions can arise if the dominant discourse is a ‘visible’ pedagogy that favours individual performance, with the teacher as the voice of authority and controller of the discourse. These tensions can lead to ICT being marginalised or discredited by teachers or lead to new modalities of pedagogy.

Keywords:

• pedagogy
• Basil Bernstein
• pedagogic discourse
• ICT
• activity theory
• mediation
• recontextualising field
• visible pedagogy
• invisible pedagogy
• InterActive project

Acknowledgements

I gratefully acknowledge the advice and support of my colleagues in the Graduate School of Education, especially Professors Rosamund Sutherland and Susan Robertson.